This is Little Richard The preacher, This is something so different from the rest of his work that it could only be at the very center and heart of his work or it would have died in him long ago. Enjoy, I could not give better advice than Little Richard offers us if I tried.
It kinda took me by surprise. I was giving a best of disk I got from the Library a listen for old times sake. It took me beyond the tabloids. I heard myself say "So that's how one of the guys who made me jump, was jumping way back when, I wonder if I could have heard him at 17 as I do at 70.":O}
My family was racist as hell. This can really make your life unnecessarily painful. After all these years I think it's the plain truth that Black people are better musicians and athletes than white people are. That's most likely a racist in reverse statement. Yet very true all the same. IMHO. I think that the meaning of "Shake a Hand" would have flown over my head at 17. I like to think that the basic quality of the song wouldn't have. Probably wishful thinking. I'm not certain that I grok it now. Yet I definitely enjoy trying to decipher it.
I'm going to check this information out, but I'm pretty sure I had an Elvis record with that song on it. Maybe in the '70s sometime.
Shake a Hand - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shake_a_Hand "Shake a Hand" is a 1953 song written by the trumpeter and bandleader Joe Morris and originally recorded by Faye Adams, whose version stayed number one on the US Billboard R&B chart for nine weeks. The song, which has a strong gospel feel throughout, depicts a reassuring new lover making promises: Lyrics Just leave it to me Don't ever be ashamed Just give me a chance I'll take care of everything Your troubles I'll share Let me know and I'll be there I'll stay close to you Anyplace and anywhere Shake a hand, shake a hand Shake a hand if you can Be truthful to me I'll be truthful to you I'm in love with your soul Till I don't know what to do So, let's call it a day I said all I have to say Except don't forget to pray And shake a hand every day Shake a hand, shake a hand Shake a hand if you can Songwriters: Joe Morris Shake a Hand lyrics © Regent Music Corporation
Ok I confess, I did it. The line "Perhaps" should read "I'm in love with you so." But that's not the way I hear it. So to better reflect what I feel it should have been, I changed it to: "I'm in love with your soul and I don't know what to do." I've done this all of my life I often HEAR a better version than is being played...So I change it...sue me! ":O}
Before I knew it's origins, I would have classified it as Gay Gospel. If Little Richard is singing it....I still do. Have heard all three version, I just gotta say Little Richard owns this song. What do others think?
It was not an issue in my youth. My mother had Hispanic and black friends she waitressed with. But I never met a but a few Black or Hispanics my own age. Once in the martial arts you meet everyone from everywhere and the only truth is on the mat.
I never really liked him, but my god the man could dance. Here's the first time he walked on the moon:
I'll leave you with my favorite voice in the whole wide world: How high the moon is performed with Linda Ronstadt and Dolly pardon. For those who don't know, all three can sing and pick a bit.":O} "Somewhere there's music, my favorite tune." What a lyric! ":O}
When I first stumbled across Emmylou I was enchanted... But when I got to "Waterfall" I was truly blown away. If you have a sub-woofer, use It man USE IT! ":O} ( Don't I bring you guys good things!? ":O}
Music, we'd be so much poorer without it. Little Richard always bothered me at least a little. It's probably teh gay thing, but I didn't know why long ago. The Platters were nonpareil. In a class of their own, "Twilight Time," "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes," and "Only You" were such unbelievably fantastic songs. Their purity still brings tears to my eye. Unfortunately I can't listen to good music anymore. It grabs me too emotionally. Add the fact that I was such an untalented musician, it's a cruel dichotomy. But it's the emotion that gets me so deeply. I'm being too honest here, but the truth will out. My best friend in Viet-Nam turned me on to Emmylou Harris some years after the war ended. I'm still a huge fan, and had the good fortune to see her live three times. The first time my date's shoulder was actually touching the stage. It was a small venue in San Francisco, and it surprised me how much she enjoyed Emmylou. She was an English major and quite an intellectual. Emmylou's voice is unreal and her face is so beautiful that it almost hurts your eyes. Actually, it does overwhelm me. If you can, look up her and her band's appearance on "The Old Grey Whistle Test," a BBC series from long ago. The logo for the show can be seen in the background in her linked performance of "Tulsa Queen" that's seen after your link to "The Ballad of...." . It's or it was available on Youtube. Personally, I thought that "The Hot Band" backing her when I saw her in SF up was superb. Members of that same crew played with her at the Ste Michelle Winery in Woodinville quite a few years later. Billy Joel has a show on the same BBC series, back when he and his band were just breaking through to the big time. I was very impressed. Back to Emmmylou. Her father was a Major in the US Marines. Guess she inherited the toughness needed to pursue a musical career. You MUST see it as your only option in life, just loving music is not enough to get you through all of the heartache involved. The "Trio" LP's were disappointing, I think they should have been far better considering all the talent of the women in them. IMHO, naturally. Her voice changed as she got older, but not for the better. Again, imho. You do bring us great things, thank you Daniel!
There was something about Hendrix reaching out to me from country music..his ."Om" still vibrating in our world.Truth is that while Hendrix amazed me I really didn't care for much of his music. So she at last opened my ears to Hendrix,
All the greats have sung this song or so it seems, But Percy wrote it. For me this is soul music at it best. Percy in church....